A Framework for Component Based Distributed Control Software Development Using IEC 61499

A framework for component based distributed control software is proposed. The primary application for the framework is in distributed control systems. The framework proposes new software components, called automation components that can be hierarchically embedded to produce new components. Automation components are also combined to produce hierarchical component based applications. The framework is independent of the execution platform, however it is shown how an application that is developed using the framework can be executed using IEC 61499 platform. The validity of the framework is evaluated using an industrial example of a reconfigurable manufacturing cell.